Alleged Prostitute Murderer Set for Trial in Okla. County

7/29/07 -- OKC, OK - An Oklahoma City man accused of murdering and then setting on fire an alleged prostitute has been bound over for jury trial.

Ronald Wayne Windham, 35, is accused of the December 5, 2005 murder of Del City resident Jennifer Sipes, 29 (see photo left).

Sipes' body was found by firemen fighting a grass fire in Edmond (8000 block of Redhawk Lane). Dental records were used to positively identify Sipes nearly 8 months later.

According to the Team Amber Alert Web site, Sipes was last seen Nov. 24, 2005 walking near Scott Street and Tinker Diagonal in Del City.

Prosecutors allege that Windham (see photo left) confessed to the murder of Sipes to Norman police on November 27, 2006, saying “he needed to get something off his chest.”

Allegedly, Windham outlined Sipes' final moments as follows;

On November 24, 2005 (the day before Thanksgiving) Windham picked up a prostitute going by the name "Bambi" (later identified as Sipes) and took her to his apartment on South Lee in Oklahoma City.

Windham became angry after his car stereo was stolen, and blamed Sipes.

Sipes returned to Windham's apartment in December.

Windham, still upset over his stolen stereo, hit Sipes three times with a baseball bat. Windham then used a knife to "chop into her head and then slashed her throat."

Windham then wrapped Sipes' body in a sheet and placed it in a plastic tub.

Windham then drove to a "residential area being built in Edmond."

There, Windham covered the body with brush, poured 5 gallons of gasoline on it and set Sipes' body on fire.

Windham was formally charged December 14, 2006 in Oklahoma County.

At Windham's preliminary hearing, held July 10 2007, Norman police officer Mark McCain testified that Windham expressed relief “that she could rest in peace so that he could rest in peace.”

At the conclusion of Windham's preliminary hearing, Oklahoma County Special Judge Fred Doak said there was sufficient reason to hold Windham on charges of first-degree murder, third-degree arson and removal of a human body.

Formal arraignment has been set for Aug. 31.

Windham is currently being held in the Oklahoma County jail.

Windham also has active criminal cases in Oklahoma County for domestic assault and battery (11/3/06) and obtaining money under false pretenses (11/9/06).

Editorial Note: JohnTV.com recently received correspondence from a person identifying himself as Tommy Sipes, the father of Jennifer Sipes. In that correspondence Mr. Sipes was adamant that his daughter has never engaged in any form of prostitution. Mr. Sipes points out that Jennifer has no record of ever being arrested for prostitution.

The allegation of prostitution on the part of Jennifer has been alleged by her murderer.

The exact number of Oklahoma women that have been murdered as a direct or indirect result of their prostitution activities is unknown. What is certain is that the list in long and so far unappreciated by the media, and therefore by the community as well. JohnTV.com is currently researching the deaths of several street prostitutes in and around Oklahoma City. If you know of a woman who was killed as a result of prostitution and feel her story needs to be told, please contact us immediately.

Additional Resources:

1. Follow the case on JohnTV.com here.
2. OKC man to face trial in Sipes homicide (7/11/07)

3. Prelim set in Sipes murder case (7/9/07)

4. Missing woman identified (8/16/06)

5. Edmond police identify burned woman (8/16/06)